Seizing The Stars (phase one)

by keithsterling

Chapter 6

In a different region of the collective, the home star system of the Echoes, several smaller energy clouds gathered far away from the main assembly area of collective. This smaller assembly is made up of Echoes, who oppose the current leadership of the Echoes. After the dark assembly seized control of the main assembly, the ruling body of the Echoes, turn the Echoes into a very aggressive race. Several smaller echoes groups join the light assembly to oppose the dark assembly and take control of the main assembly. As their numbers are small, the light assembly has seized control of many assemblies in the collective. Those light echoes that have seized control have pretended to go along with dark assembly at the same time opposing the dark assembly.

"Light assembly comes to order." A respected female voice said as the light blinks in an energy cloud.

"Yes, my lady." The light echoes said simultaneously as the lights blink in the energy cloud.

"Very good. How does the plan proceed?" the respected female voice asks.

"We have control of over half the manufacturing assembly in Echo space and total control of all the resource assembly in echo space. We have been able to slow the dark echoes plan for universal expansion by causing resource disruptions." A male voice said in the energy cloud.

"Very good." The respected female voice said as a blue light blinks.

"As for the financial assembly, the dark echoes have a stronghold of that; we have been able to seize some control of the financial assembly. But not enough. But on a good note, more and more military assembly has joined the light echoes. But still not enough." A second female voice said.

"So My lady, how does project phoenix go? I hope good news." A male voice asked

"Project Phoenix is ahead of schedule. The Morphs have made contacts with the Imperator Alicorns of deep space. As for the guardian, the dark echoes are still looking for it. My hypothesis is that the guardian is still monitoring the situation gathering more information on it. I believe if the dark echoes move against the Imperator Alicorns or the Morphs, the guardian will make itself known. That why the dark echoes is moving very carefully." the respected female voice said as the secret meeting continues.

It has been 17 months since the 'UAC Beast Lord' was launched on the deep-space mission to track down the alien signal sitting in front of the long-range communication array on the command deck of the 'UAC Star Wolf one naval base' was exceptional looking sandy brown she-wolf morph with sandy brown shoulder-length hair. Her very physically fit 6ft even canine figure was attired in the bluish-gray standard skirt uniform of UAC female officer. On her bare four-toed pawed feet were black pumps.

Why on top her head between her ears was the bluish-gray peaked cap with a gold wolf-headed pin. Her sandy brown long, torpedo-shaped tail hung limply behind her as she waited for transmission from 'UAC Beast Lord.'

This she-wolf morph was UAC General of the Peacekeepers Jennifer Sterling, the overall commander of 'UAC Peacekeepers,' the main military power of the United Animal Council on the planet of ARK. She is also the Matriarch of the Sterling wolf clan on ARK, plus the mother of Wolf Knight Lord Keith Sterling, the commanding officer for the UAC New Sirius Military base.

~17 months earlier a few hours before the launching of 'UAC Beast lord' aboard the 'UAC Star wolf one naval base'~

"Do you know what prototype means, Keith!? It means it has not been tested! You are going to risk your life and the life of your mate on a test!" Jennifer said, her voice bellowing ferociously, shaking her hand towards her son angrily as she growls loudly.

"You are as reckless as your father! Donovan Sterling! Look what happen to him killed in Aerospace prototype accident! Leaving me as the sole alpha of our clan and the Matriarch!" Jennifer voice carried to the edge of indignation, slamming her fist on the table in front of her.

"Object all you want mother. I am still going on this mission with Krystal and the crew. Yes, father's death was a tragedy for the Sterling clan as a whole. But in the wake of that tragedy, the Matriarch has held our clan together. Despite the attempts of the other wolf clans to take control of the most powerful clan on ARK. Because we are an Alpha clan." Keith said calmly and unfazed as he walks out of the locker room in his spacesuit.

~Return to the present~

'I always hated my husband saying I have the drive to run the Alpha clan Sterling as a single matriarch. Most of time I bowed to the patriarch will like a good little she-wolf. After the death of Donovan my clan looks to me to lead them. I was just a simple she-wolf an Alpha without a mate. Then a PI wolf clan tried to say my clan was not an Alpha clan, it angered me. I dug through ancient records search for my family name and my husband family name as an original founder.' Jennifer thoughts slipping her bare pawed feet out of her pumps to give them a break from the shoes.

'In the most ancient records ever I found the name Pack Sterling and Pack Talbain. This confirmed that my family and my husband’s family were indeed original founders of the planet of ARK. I gave the judge the ancient records he flip through the book till he found Pack Sterling and Pack Talbain listed as an Alpha Pack. But not just as a normal Alpha Pack. These ancient records stated I may run my pack as a single Matriarch. I need not have a mate; the pack is solely my responsibility.' Jennifer thoughts as she crossed her leg over the other one and reach down to rub her sore pawed foot with her pawed hand.

"Star wolf one...Please respond...This is pathfinder." The long-range communicator crackles to life in front of Jennifer on the command deck of the space station.

"This star wolf one...General Sterling here...respond Pathfinder." Jennifer reply over the radio.

"Mother? Is that you? Are you on Star Wolf one?" Keith inquiry as a tear runs down Jennifer’s cheek.

"Yes, Keith...it is me your mother...How are you and the crew?" Jennifer asked her voice constricted as she wiped the tear off her muzzle with the back of her hand.

"Please mother listen, quickly realign the main satellite dish to receive a compressed video communication. Make the beam as narrow as you can. Feed it into the holo camera at your station, mother." Keith explains as Jennifer follows her son's directions.

With that done a tight laser beam strike the main satellite dish and feeds directly into the holo camera. Slowly the holographic head of her son appears in front of her. He smiles at his mother as tears streak her muzzle.

"Greeting mother." Keith said as Jennifer face flushes with happiness.

"Greeting baby, how are you doing this? The 'UAC Beast Lord' doesn't have this capability." Jennifer comment a bit puzzled.

"We are not aboard 'UAC Beast Lord' we encountered an alien species who technology level is superior to the United Animal Council and the planet of ARK. This alien species would like to open diplomatic channels against a mutual enemy 'the echoes'." Keith explains as Jennifer gasps.

"But why contact me, baby? I am no diplomat; I am just a simple soldier in the service of the 'UAC Peacekeepers'." Jennifer comment as Keith sighs.

"I know that mother. But you are the Matriarch of Alpha Sterling Clan. One of the original founders of ARK. Who better to talk to United Animal Council General Assembly then one of the original founders. They will have to listen to Lady Sterling." Keith said as Jennifer blink with surprise.

"If you want me to speak on behalf of that Alien Species to UAC General Assembly, Keith. Is they someone in charge of the species that I can speak to?" Jennifer inquiry as Keith shook his head.

"The being that our ship encountered is the great-grandson of someone in charge of this species. She has just arrived at the request of her Great Grandson to talk to you, Mother." Keith explains as his head fades away. Slowly the captivating face of light blue female equine with an imperial red-colored mane appears in front of Jennifer. On her head behind her horn was gold imperial tiara.

"Greeting she-wolf. I am Empress Galaxy Cosmos the overall ruler of my Imperator Alicorn species and the all-mother." Galaxy said as stress line forms on Jennifer's brow and her stomach knots.

"My-my-my name is Lady Jennifer Sterling, the Matriarch of the Alpha Sterling Clan. Greetings, your Imperial Majesty. Are you an Equine?" Jennifer asks as Galaxy giggles a little bit.

"From what your son told my Great Grandson equine morphs on the planet of ARK went extinct long ago. If you are wondering if my Imperator Alicorns is that lost horse tribe that I am unsure of Lady Sterling. As far as I remember my Imperator Alicorns have spend they life among the stars." Galaxy explains as Jennifer ears droop on top her head, hoping to finally discover the fate of the lost horse tribe of ARK.

"That is fine your imperial majesty. It just deeping the mystery of the lost horse tribe on ARK. Beside that your imperial majesty you want to open up diplomatic channels against our mutual enemy 'the echoes'. As the overall commander of the 'UAC Peacekeepers' forces I would relish the help against 'the echoes'. Those echoes have for generations been abducting morphs from various tribes of ARK. Those that are taking are never seeing again. Among the taking was my very own mother Lady Victoria Talbain." Jennifer said as she growls under her breath and slamming her fist on the control panel.

It two months later as the 'IAS Stellar Eclipse' holds position in Andromeda Galaxy Star Sector waiting for the arrival of 'IAS Bastille' the Imperator Alicorn prison/transport ship on it regular route. After the initial contact with Lady Jennifer Sterling, the Matriarch of Alpha Sterling Clan, one of the original founding tribes on the Planet of ARK.

Empress Galaxy Cosmos called a meeting of the other rulers of Imperator Alicorn space and their representatives from the Planet of Sol. She lay out the circumstances of the first contact with morphs from the Planet of ARK.

The consensus among the other rulers of Imperator Alicorn space and their representatives from the Planet of Sol was skepticism with the first contact with the morphs from the Planet of ARK. It was not until the subject of 'the echoes' came up that the rulers of Imperator Alicorn space took an interest for the pass few months, several buzzer mother ships have been attacking Imperator Alicorn habitats along with ship that they named retrievers.

As the patrol class warships from that star sector space fleet have been able to sink numerous retrievers and buzzer mother ships. The purpose of the retrievers was unknown till now, went they learn that they are meant to collect Imperator Alicorn civilians and take them away, never to be seen again.

~Back aboard the IAS Stellar Eclipse flight deck~

"You know, Cadie. You do not have to go with me to free prisoner 22626PTS. Your job will begin went that prisoner arrives aboard the 'IAS Stellar Eclipse.' Her capsule is in the same section as prisoner 20526PFHS." Justice said with great concern for his adopted niece's feelings.

"I appreciate your concern for my feeling, uncle. But I have to go if I don't face the reason my marriage broke up with Shining Armor. I will never get over it." Cadence said with a hitch in her voice as she held tight to Justice's arm.

"All right niece, if that what you want. Anyway, do you want me, Celestia and Alysia, to stay with you in our living quarters went we get back to the Infinity Palace, niece? So you will not be alone?" Justice asked as Cadence shook her head yes.

~A Few minutes later~

Slowly the short-range shuttlecraft glides into the single landing bay aboard the 'IAS Bastille' after getting off the shuttlecraft Cadence, and Justice walks up to the first guard station Justice being a Royal Shogun from the Royal Battle fleet is quickly scanned for contraband and viruses. But on the other hand, Cadence is escorted to a separate room and asks to completely strip so they may do a full scan of her looking for any kind of viruses as she an alien species.

"Here the royal release papers for prisoner 22626PTS." Justice comments handing the papers to the warden/captain of the 'IAS Bastille.'

"Oh yes, we receive the prisoner release form en route. I sent our techs to prepare prisoner 22626PTS for thawing and being placed in a warming incubator. It should take several hours for the prisoner to fully awaken. So as soon as that pink mare that comes with you redress. I'll take you both to the section to claim the prisoner's incubator." The warden explains as Cadence joins them.

The clicking of boot heels echoes loudly in this multistory cavernous belly of the 'IAS Bastille.' Each level of this prison ship has an equal number of used capsules and unused capsules.

In a small section of this prison ship, two alone capsules stand next to each other. The prisoner in the left capsules has been remove and placed in the warm incubator. As Justice finishes up the paperwork to take possession of the prisoner's incubator. Cadence walks up to the capsules on the right side she calls up the holo screen with all the vital stats of the prisoner. All the vital stats read stable. The name on the screen reads:

Princess Flurry heart Sparkle: Terran Alicorn mare

Crime: Usurping the Crystal Empire and murder of a crystal maid

Sentence: Life

"Leave her be captain, the prisoner in that capsule is her own daughter." Justice said as Cadence climbed up to her daughter's capsule and begins to cry. As her tears fall onto the capsule, they freeze.

"Cadence, we have what we came for, lets go. Your daughter is just as much a victim to manipulations of Daimyo Harmonia Strife. As anyone." Justice said as Cadence shook her head.

"No uncle, my daughter, chose this path. No one forces her to take this path. She took this path with her own free will. Now she must pay for her choice to take this path. Abandoning the path I set for her." Cadence said her voice wooden and distant.